Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Stunning: The rare morelet's crocodile makes an open-mouthed threat near Tulum in Mexico showing a different world can be lurking just inches below the waterline

This stunning image gives the rarest glimpse of one of the world's most endangered crocodiles as it silently swims through the deserted waterways of southern Mexico.

Acclaimed Hawaiian photographer Doug Perrine, 58, risked his life to get these amazing shots of extraordinary creatures, including this dangerous animal near Tulum, on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

The beautiful Morelet's breed was hunted to the brink of extinction in the 1940's because of its valuable skin but is again starting to flourish thanks to conservation laws.

Snap: Doug Perrine captures the terrifying bared teeth of the Alligator mississippiensis as it swims through the Big Cypress National Preserve, in Florida

The crocodile was captured using sophisticated underwater technology and shows its predatory instincts as it bares the 68 razor-sharp teeth it uses to feed on domestic animals such as dogs, as well as birds, fish, lizards, and turtles.

The beautiful beast, which grows to up to 14ft when an adult, has also been known to attack children, particularly if they get too close to their nests or them in mating season - but generally they will shy away from humans.

Morelet's crocodiles are spread over a small number of freshwater streams, marshes, rivers and ponds in Central American countries like Belize and Guatamala as well as in southern Mexico.

The rest of Mr Perrine's work showcases the stunning and often dangerous marine life he has seen while travelling across the United States, Canada, Micronesia, and Australia.

Dangerous: Through the crystal clear waters grey reef sharks swarm around the camera at Bikini Atoll, in Micronesia with an island paradise in the background

Some of the animals are so dangerous that he uses a remote triggering system allowing him to snap marine life a safe distance away from their jaws.

'Working with wild animals is always difficult, especially if they are large, timid, and potentially dangerous,' he said.

'This type of picture is particularly difficult, since so many disparate elements must be dealt with all at the same time.

'For the alligator picture, I had to use a remote triggering system with the camera on an extendible pole, since it would have been much too dangerous to get down in the water with the alligator.

'In winter, With very slow metabolism, their energy needs are small, and they feed only rarely. As the water warms in spring, they become more active and aggressive.

Solemn: This salmon shark snapped in Prince William Sound, Alaska was later tragically caught and killed by hunters

'They not only are more hungry, but with mating season approaching, hormones begin to flood their bodies, and the males become especially aggressive.'

To capture the beasts at their best and clearest he has to wait until the water is completely still.

But while many of Doug's subjects are considered dangerous creatures, he believes man poses the greatest threat to the future of the planet's sea life.

He said: 'Although large and potentially dangerous, the salmon sharks in these pictures have not been known to attack people. Humans, on the other hand, pose a significant threat to salmon sharks.

Silent: A manatee is shown paddling along the the Crystal River in Florida without noticing the camera in front of him

'In fact the shark in this image was caught and killed by recreational fishermen the day after the photo was taken.'

Doug hopes his photos will highlight the plight of endangered species and serve as a reminder that we share the earth's oceans, seas and rivers with a large number of other animals.

He said: 'I love how these photos really take me back to the feeling of being there. When I look at that image of the salmon shark, for example, I feel the cold breeze coming off of that snow-dappled mountain in the background, and the chill of that green glacier-melt water just under the surface.

'Looking at the image of the Florida alligator, I feel the sticky humidity of a warm spring afternoon in South Florida, and the nervousness of looking into the dark eye of that gator and wondering if it had been fed too much by humans and might charge up the bank after me.

'I can only hope that viewers of the pictures experience some semblance of that ecstatic feeling of being in a remote and lovely area in the presence of majestic wild animals.'